Photographs by Dimitri Bourriau show the haunting beauty of abandoned buildings

Ruined chateaux, a ghostly rusting warship, a forgotten space shuttle and derelict theatres where the show has no chance of going on.

Welcome to the world French photographer Dimitri Bourriau loves to explore – the world of the abandoned.   

Bourriau, also known as Jahz Design, has spent eight years roaming his home territory as well as countries such as Italy, Kazakhstan and Georgia snapping lost-in-time manors, monuments and machines. 

And his photographs show how his subjects have a beguiling beauty, despite looking very much worse for wear.

The 37-year-old, who lives in Nantes, uses old satellite images and newspapers to find the relics, and told MailOnline Travel that he captures them partly to record them for posterity. He said: ‘I like to take photos of abandoned places to keep track of the passage of man. It’s a work of memory.’

Scroll down to get lost in Dimitri’s eerily mesmerising images… 

Inside the incredible Buzludzha Monument in central Bulgaria, which was built as ‘a tribute to the socialist movement in Bulgaria’, according to a website dedicated to the building. It opened in 1981 but was abandoned in 1989 after the fall of the Soviet Union 

This striking image of a pair of abandoned, rusting ships was taken by Dimitri at a ship graveyard in France

This striking image of a pair of abandoned, rusting ships was taken by Dimitri at a ship graveyard in France 

This fascinating image is one of Dimitri's favourites. It shows the inside of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and one of the last Soviet space shuttles. He said: 'It was the hardest photo to take as I had to undertake several nights of desert walks in Kazakhstan'

This fascinating image is one of Dimitri’s favourites. It shows the inside of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and one of the last Soviet space shuttles. He said: ‘It was the hardest photo to take as I had to undertake several nights of desert walks in Kazakhstan’ 

Dimitri says he uses old satellite images and newspapers to find abandoned places. Pictured is an abandoned parabolic antenna in France that has been disused for 18 years and is over 30 metres (98ft) high

Dimitri says he uses old satellite images and newspapers to find abandoned places. Pictured is an abandoned parabolic antenna in France that has been disused for 18 years and is over 30 metres (98ft) high

Dimitri, also known as Jahz Design, has spent eight years travelling across the world, seeking out abandoned places. He took this image of an abandoned airliner in Rennes Airport, France. It has now been moved inside a hangar to protect it from vandals

Dimitri, also known as Jahz Design, has spent eight years travelling across the world, seeking out abandoned places. He took this image of an abandoned airliner in Rennes Airport, France. It has now been moved inside a hangar to protect it from vandals

An eye-catching image taken by Dimitri of a replica Ariane Rocket in the Spanish city of Seville. It is a relic on the Expo 92 showground on the city's La Isla de La Cartuja, an island that is now home to an intriguing mixture of abandoned buildings from the event, a sparkling research complex called Cartuja 93 and a theme park, Isla Magica

An eye-catching image taken by Dimitri of a replica Ariane Rocket in the Spanish city of Seville. It is a relic on the Expo 92 showground on the city’s La Isla de La Cartuja, an island that is now home to an intriguing mixture of abandoned buildings from the event, a sparkling research complex called Cartuja 93 and a theme park, Isla Magica

Dimitri snapped this haunting image in the courtyard of a Soviet sanatorium in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. He said: 'I really like the countries of the former USSR, mainly Georgia'

Dimitri snapped this haunting image in the courtyard of a Soviet sanatorium in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. He said: ‘I really like the countries of the former USSR, mainly Georgia’ 

The show definitely can't go on at this huge abandoned theatre Dimitri came across in Italy

The show definitely can’t go on at this huge abandoned theatre Dimitri came across in Italy

This eerie image also shows an abandoned Italian theatre. Dimitri said: 'I like to take photos of abandoned places to keep track of the passage of man. It's a work of memory'

This eerie image also shows an abandoned Italian theatre. Dimitri said: ‘I like to take photos of abandoned places to keep track of the passage of man. It’s a work of memory’ 

Among the countries Dimitri has travelled to seeking out abandoned places are Bulgaria, Ukraine, Belgium and Italy. He snapped this image in a crypt in Portugal

Among the countries Dimitri has travelled to seeking out abandoned places are Bulgaria, Ukraine, Belgium and Italy. He snapped this image in a crypt in Portugal 

Dimitri doesn't give too much away about the locations of his pictures as 'when places become too well known they are vandalised', he says. Pictured is the inside of an abandoned manor in France

Dimitri doesn’t give too much away about the locations of his pictures as ‘when places become too well known they are vandalised’, he says. Pictured is the inside of an abandoned manor in France 

Trees and plants have almost completely claimed this old abandoned chateau that Dimitri photographed in France

Trees and plants have almost completely claimed this old abandoned chateau that Dimitri photographed in France 

A beautiful image taken by Dimitri of a greenhouse in France that has been abandoned by the owners, but not Mother Nature

A beautiful image taken by Dimitri of a greenhouse in France that has been abandoned by the owners, but not Mother Nature

A picture of a chateau in France that was no doubt once a charming and convivial place to spend time, but now require a bit of courage to visit, especially for those with over-active imaginations

A picture of a chateau in France that was no doubt once a charming and convivial place to spend time, but now require a bit of courage to visit, especially for those with over-active imaginations

Dimitri's passion for this type of photography stems from his interest in history and architectural remains. Pictured is an empty Italian castle

Dimitri’s passion for this type of photography stems from his interest in history and architectural remains. Pictured is an empty Italian castle 

The imposing entrance to the abandoned Château de La Mothe Chandeniers in the Vienne département of France. Most of the castle was destroyed by a fire in 1932 and now members of the local community are aiming to raise funds to restore it

The imposing entrance to the abandoned Château de La Mothe Chandeniers in the Vienne département of France. Most of the castle was destroyed by a fire in 1932 and now members of the local community are aiming to raise funds to restore it 

Dimitri snapped this amazing image of an abandoned manor house in the Paris region. When he posted the image to Instagram, it garnered over 500 likes

Dimitri snapped this amazing image of an abandoned manor house in the Paris region. When he posted the image to Instagram, it garnered over 500 likes 

This incredible image shows a beautiful abandoned Art Nouveau villa in Italy that overlooks the sea

This incredible image shows a beautiful abandoned Art Nouveau villa in Italy that overlooks the sea 

An abandoned room in a French chateau that would have been a wonderful room for entertaining in its prime

An abandoned room in a French chateau that would have been a wonderful room for entertaining in its prime

An eerie mist surrounds this empty villa, which Dimitri found in Portugal

An eerie mist surrounds this empty villa, which Dimitri found in Portugal 

Château Miranda - also known as Chateau de Noisy - was once a grand 19th-century castle in Belgium but when Dimitri went to photograph it in 2016, it had succumbed to decay. It was demolished completely in 2017

Château Miranda – also known as Chateau de Noisy – was once a grand 19th-century castle in Belgium but when Dimitri went to photograph it in 2016, it had succumbed to decay. It was demolished completely in 2017 

A hangar in Saint Barbe, north-eastern France, that's filled, remarkably, with old dusty fire trucks

A hangar in Saint Barbe, north-eastern France, that’s filled, remarkably, with old dusty fire trucks 

Mist descends over the landscape surrounding an abandoned military vessel at the French Navy ship cemetery in Landevennec, north-west France

Mist descends over the landscape surrounding an abandoned military vessel at the French Navy ship cemetery in Landevennec, north-west France 

Dimitri found this abandoned statue of Stalin in the Gori region of Georgia, where the Soviet leader was born, after it had been removed from its original spot by authorities there

Dimitri found this abandoned statue of Stalin in the Gori region of Georgia, where the Soviet leader was born, after it had been removed from its original spot by authorities there